Ben Franklin's veneration for a free press came from his belief that it "diffuses so general a light . . . of so penetrating a nature" as to keep in check tyranny and abuse. Mark Twain echoed these sentiments nearly a century later saying... more

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On The Campaign Trail

On the Campaign Trail is a political web series for Georgia teachers and students hosted by Bill Nigut. Episodes will take viewers on a journey through the political process leading to the 2016 Presidential Election. Topics cover a variety of subjects ranging from the primaries to the general election. Each episode is aligned to the Georgia Standards and includes printable teacher resources.

"The 45th President" is all about the presidential inauguration and the transition of power from one president to another. Students will learn about the restrictions on the new president’s selection of cabinet members, what ceremonial action is required to take office, and the departure of the former president from the White House.

Bill explains the difference between the popular and the electoral vote, how the number of electoral votes is determined per state, and the importance of swing states. Students will also be able to identify key states with large numbers of electoral votes and explain why candidates focus on some states more than others.

“Conventions and Candidates” provides brief overviews of the Democratic and Republican national conventions that occurred in July and the individual that emerged as each party’s presidential nominee. Students will also learn about the history of party conventions, how they have changed over time, and the definition of a party platform.

In the seventh episode of On the Campaign Trail, “Lights, Camera, Action!,” Bill Nigut explains the role the media plays during elections and how this year’s presidential hopefuls are using social media more than ever before.
This episode is aligned to SSCG8 of the Georgia Performance Standards for American Government and Civics.

Update students about what’s going on in the 2016 presidential election with this quick mini-episode of On the Campaign Trail with Bill Nigut. Find out who the front-runners are for each political party in Georgia and what this means for some of the candidate’s campaign.

“Party Over Here, Party Over There” provides a breakdown of political parties, the different types of party systems, and the overall ideological differences between Democrats and Republicans.
This episode is aligned to SSCG8 of the Georgia American Government and Civics standards.

In Episode 4, “Role Call: The Seven Roles of the President,” students will learn about the seven main roles of our president and the responsibilities attached to each one. The "Role Call" episode of On the Campaign Trail addresses American Government/Civics standard SSCG12.

As the journey to find our country’s next president continues, Bill Nigut updates students on how the campaign is unfolding in an On the Campaign Trail Mini-Episode. Students will find out where candidates from both political parties stand in national polls and how Iowa’s February 1st caucus and New Hampshire’s mid-February primary may impact those presidential nominees. Additionally, Bill describes how the upcoming November debates may sway voters in both of these states.

Find out if you qualify to run for President in this episode of On the Campaign Trail with Bill Nigut as he discusses the constitutional and unwritten qualifications for becoming president. The Do You Qualify? episode of On the Campaign Trail addresses American Government/Civics standard SSCG13.

On the Campaign Trail with Bill Nigut is back with its second episode, My Government, My Vote, My Voice. In this episode, Bill discusses the topic of democracy and provides insight on the difference between representative and parliamentary democracies and their overall contrast to autocracies and oligarchies. My Government, My Vote, My Voice addresses American Government and Civics standard SSCG19.

What is a debate? In this episode, Bill Nigut will explain the importance of debates in the political process, their overall structure and how this debate differs from those students will watch during the general election. Georgia Performance Standards: SSCG7